Choose style:

Author Topic: DUE for an update!  (Read 58636 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline razzfazz

  • Chestnut
  • ***
  • Posts: 34
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 26/12/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #60 on: October 07, 2015, 10:26:44 pm »
I wouldn't count on a platform update. From what I understand, the OpenWRT bits came from Cortina, not Securifi, and Cortina is no longer around (bought out by Realtek). I would be surprised if anyone's still pouring engineering resources into what is a four year old chip at this point, especially since the A+ seems to be the only CS7542-based router out there.

Offline smitch019

  • Newbie
  • **
  • Posts: 10
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 26/06/2015
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #61 on: October 12, 2015, 05:47:37 pm »
If we don't hear any positive news coming this week, as I believe we were supposed to hear if the last beta was released late last week, then I'm going another route.  I am interested in HA but fairly new to it.  What would any of your recommend as a new route?  STv2?  I have zigbee and zwave sensors (mostly bulbs, door locks, garage door sensor, thermostat).  Refuse to purchase anything else until I know which direction this is going.

Thanks all!

Offline obmd1

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 136
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 09/08/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #62 on: October 12, 2015, 07:31:26 pm »
FOUR MONTHS... and counting...


and yeah.. I know... another beta was released today and hopefully we can see a final release very soon. Depending......

Offline rldreams

  • Beta Testers
  • *
  • Posts: 240
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 02/06/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #63 on: October 12, 2015, 11:58:52 pm »
FOUR MONTHS... and counting...


and yeah.. I know... another beta was released today and hopefully we can see a final release very soon. Depending......

 ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) +1

Offline SecureComp

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 541
  • Thanks: 1
  • Registered : 05/08/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #64 on: October 14, 2015, 12:03:33 pm »
I wouldn't count on a platform update. From what I understand, the OpenWRT bits came from Cortina, not Securifi, and Cortina is no longer around (bought out by Realtek). I would be surprised if anyone's still pouring engineering resources into what is a four year old chip at this point, especially since the A+ seems to be the only CS7542-based router out there.

Not only that but the chip vendor "strongly" recommended not going with a more recent version of OpenWRT. Most unfortunate.

Cortina Listing of SoC
http://www.cortina-access.com/products/36-digital-home-processors

Early Press
http://www.lightwaveonline.com/articles/2011/08/cortina-systems-unveils-cs7542cs7522-chips-for-converged-carrier-services-home-gateways-127834758.html

This guy would have more than a little insight to the issues
http://www.indeed.com/r/Deyi-Dong/fd8a2fd2f2d42eaa

Some discussion of the details
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7700/securifis-almond-platform-update-integrates-cortina-soc-with-qca-radios

A little perspective from a well known router company that promised an open source ready platform that likely will not deliver the goods. Meaning OpenWRT support isn't as easy as many would like to think.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/01/linksys-resurrects-classic-blue-router-with-open-source-and-300-price/
Kickstarter Backer
Securifi Wiki Editor and Beta Tester, Not a Securifi employee
Almond+, many sensors, IOS App, Android Apps and Widgets

Offline underscore

  • Peanut
  • **
  • Posts: 14
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 19/09/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #65 on: October 14, 2015, 01:31:46 pm »
It's obvious (at least to me), that my Almond+ is basically a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_costs at this point.

Should have bought a Vera Edge in the first place.

Offline SecureComp

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 541
  • Thanks: 1
  • Registered : 05/08/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #66 on: October 14, 2015, 03:06:42 pm »
It's obvious (at least to me), that my Almond+ is basically a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_costs at this point.

Should have bought a Vera Edge in the first place.

I just can't agree largely because my Almond+ is stable, works as a household router and performs the automation with the devices I have attached. The rules engine works for most of what I want to do the concerns I have are relatively minor.

Can't tell if I'm just lucky or if we have a few vocal folks making a lot of noise that are not representative of the larger user base.
Kickstarter Backer
Securifi Wiki Editor and Beta Tester, Not a Securifi employee
Almond+, many sensors, IOS App, Android Apps and Widgets

Offline rldreams

  • Beta Testers
  • *
  • Posts: 240
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 02/06/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #67 on: October 15, 2015, 03:59:40 pm »

Can't tell if I'm just lucky or if we have a few vocal folks making a lot of noise that are not representative of the larger user base.

Router functionality seem to "have their days". In my experience this issue is far from exclusive to Securifi.

 IMHO the biggest complaints are of the broken promises of this being the best thing since the invention of the internet with an open interface. A simple all-in-one does everything hub. A promise that it definitely has not lived up to.

 Here we are 2 years into it's original scheduled release and we have nothing more than a mediocre router with a very limited HA engine. It is still the only device in a class by itself.  Maybe there's a good reason why nobody else has really put much effort into producing a hub and router in one. Okay we have the new TPLink Google Onhub, but the reviews of that have not exactly been stellar, if you discount the paid reviews and the simple " it's great because it talks" reviews.

 You can find plenty of favorable reviews for Quirky Wink products too and we don't have to go there.

I am sure you can find plenty of favorable reviews for Harmony Home, people that are ecstatic that they can automatically dim their TV room lights when they put in a movie . If that is all they want and are happy, than good for them. 

I will agree that if you want a basic router, don't have heavy traffic and just basic HA to turn lights on/off at specific times or when a door opens/closes, than you should definitely still consider the A+.  However if you want a complete central control hub for advanced systems then A+ can not do the job.  It has been requested since day 2 that people much smarter than myself have access be able to create device types and a better rules engine to be able to incorporate more advances HA functions. This has been discounted .

I never thought of myself as a high end user, but with 40+/- internet connected devices between TVs, TV boxes, phones, tablets, computers, cameras, DVRs ,NVRs. NAS  I guess I am. Then add the 50+ ZW and Zigbee lights and sensors, you can see where it actually is a fairly heavy workload that the A+ just can't handle.  At least not to the extant that I want it to.

 Now if they at least opened up C2C so we could integrate other systems and simply use A+ as the central control hub we were promised, then that would be a completely different story.

Offline Mishakim

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 37
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 02/08/2013
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #68 on: October 15, 2015, 04:24:24 pm »
...IMHO the biggest complaints are of the broken promises of this being the best thing since the invention of the internet with an open interface. A simple all-in-one does everything hub. A promise that it definitely has not lived up to. ...
Add to that some poor design choices, like building an entirely different interface for each of LCD, local web, cloud, and iPhone/Android apps, meaning that every feature update has to be done multiple times, and often only appears on one interface. So you can reboot the router from a phone, but not add rules there. You can crate rules on the local web, but not reboot the router (or has that been fixed - it's on the cloud web UI, which can't do rules). You can only add sensors from the LCD. New HA devices may be controllable from one interface and not others.

The need to custom-integrate every HA device that comes along is something Securifi may have justifiably underestimated. The hassle of updating five different UIs is a problem of their own making.

Offline mr23

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 204
  • Thanks: 1
  • Registered : 02/08/2013
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #69 on: October 15, 2015, 05:15:22 pm »
Speaking of due for an update, https://blog.securifi.com/ hasn't had an update since practically when Lars left. Almost 5 months now.

Although that isn't functionality we need in the A+ or app, it is telling.

Offline Ashok

  • Securifi Staff
  • *
  • Posts: 2770
  • Thanks: 3
  • Registered : 25/07/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #70 on: October 15, 2015, 07:00:11 pm »
@ mr23,

It is true that we have not updated anything new on it, which would be taken care off. However, please note that whenever there is any new response on the blog, it has been acknowledged.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2015, 07:04:15 pm by Ashok »

Offline SecureComp

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 541
  • Thanks: 1
  • Registered : 05/08/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #71 on: October 15, 2015, 08:38:55 pm »
Add to that some poor design choices, like building an entirely different interface for each of LCD, local web, cloud, and iPhone/Android apps, meaning that every feature update has to be done multiple times, and often only appears on one interface. So you can reboot the router from a phone, but not add rules there. You can crate rules on the local web, but not reboot the router (or has that been fixed - it's on the cloud web UI, which can't do rules). You can only add sensors from the LCD. New HA devices may be controllable from one interface and not others.

The need to custom-integrate every HA device that comes along is something Securifi may have justifiably underestimated. The hassle of updating five different UIs is a problem of their own making.

I don't know that the common interface makes it much easier across platforms, for example IOS/Android development. HTML5 support across the board would help. But to be honest, it hasn't been that much of a headache for me. I only setup one device at a time and adding it at the console wasn't much of a problem given that the sensor was usually close by anyway.

Sure there's stuff I'd change, it's just not giving me the heartburn it seems to give others.
Kickstarter Backer
Securifi Wiki Editor and Beta Tester, Not a Securifi employee
Almond+, many sensors, IOS App, Android Apps and Widgets

Offline coderunner

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 27
  • Thanks: 1
  • Registered : 11/09/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #72 on: October 16, 2015, 09:38:33 am »
I don't know that the common interface makes it much easier across platforms, for example IOS/Android development. HTML5 support across the board would help. But to be honest, it hasn't been that much of a headache for me. I only setup one device at a time and adding it at the console wasn't much of a problem given that the sensor was usually close by anyway.

Sure there's stuff I'd change, it's just not giving me the heartburn it seems to give others.

There are tools (PhoneGap, etc) that make it easy to deploy a web-based app to multiple mobile platforms.  Using such a tool, Securifi could develop their web UI to be an adaptive design (works on desktop and mobile), and kill multiple birds with one stone.  Their current design appears to have a completely separate development for each supported device (Apple, Android, Cloud UI, local UI).  To say the least, this is resource intensive and easily explains the time delay between releases.

Offline SecureComp

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 541
  • Thanks: 1
  • Registered : 05/08/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #73 on: October 16, 2015, 02:31:08 pm »
There are tools (PhoneGap, etc) that make it easy to deploy a web-based app to multiple mobile platforms.  Using such a tool, Securifi could develop their web UI to be an adaptive design (works on desktop and mobile), and kill multiple birds with one stone.  Their current design appears to have a completely separate development for each supported device (Apple, Android, Cloud UI, local UI).  To say the least, this is resource intensive and easily explains the time delay between releases.

Sure there are plenty of tools out there for cross platform development, and yes, that would likely decrease the software development cycle. Then again, the cross platform stuff does have plenty of limitations and doesn't allow you to leverage some features on the specific platforms.

As for time delays between releases, I'd say it has to do with any number of other factors. For example, coders experience levels. I'm familiar with the work of some of the folks and can recognize junior programming efforts from the horizon. Not that it's a bad thing, lots of companies do it to meet budgetary constraints. No, there are other forces at work here.

Even so, there appear to be a number of beta folks working the issues and the upcoming API release leave me ever the optimist. That and the "complex" stuff I'm doing beyond light timers is really just a bunch of simple shell scripting so the apparent limitations of others aren't causing me any grief currently.
Kickstarter Backer
Securifi Wiki Editor and Beta Tester, Not a Securifi employee
Almond+, many sensors, IOS App, Android Apps and Widgets

Offline atrueresistance

  • Backer
  • *
  • Posts: 51
  • Thanks: 0
  • Registered : 18/08/2014
    YearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYearsYears
Re: DUE for an update!
« Reply #74 on: October 20, 2015, 09:43:26 am »
@ mr23,

I just got the update from our team that we are going to release the Web Socket based API in a month's time.

So should we expect an update within the next 9 days?

 

Page created in 0.076 seconds with 18 queries.

bottleneck